Flourishing programs in 90+ disciplines. A vibrant Christian mission. $50 million
in new campus construction. Championship athletics. 94% placement within 6 months
of graduation. There’s never been a better time to consider Hope College.

As a member of the MIAA and NCAA Division III associations, Hope College sponsors
22 varsity sports for men and women. The college is home to the 2014 NCAA Division
III National Championship women’s volleyball team.

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Faculty and Staff

All Hope College faculty and staff are responsible employees (except those designated
as confidential) and must report any knowledge of sexual harassment or sexual assault
that occurred to someone within our community.

As faculty and staff, we know you are committed to supporting our students to the
best of your ability. The following resources and information can help you as you
help our students.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Anytime a disclosure is made during a personal discussion with you (before/after class,
in your office hours, outside of class, when leading a trip, etc.) regarding potential
sexual discrimination made by another member of the Hope community, you have an obligation
to report (as you, and therefore the college, have been put on notice). The only exceptions
from reporting occur when the disclosure is made in the context of a classroom discussion
(on a relevant topic) or in a written assignment.

If you have any questions about the context in which you were put on notice of an
alleged violation, you are encouraged to contact Sara Dorer, Title IX coordinator/compliance officer, to discuss the nature of the disclosure
and determine if the content requires a report.

The spirit of these requirements is grounded in our desire to cultivate a culture
free from discrimination based on sex or gender. Our intent is to remedy any individual
or environmental concerns on campus in order to provide students with a barrier-free
environment in which to receive their education.

WHAT TO REPORT

You have to report the following information, if it is known. (You never have to act as an investigator
to gain more information than what was shared with you.)

Name(s) of perpetrator(s)

Name of student who experienced violence

Other students involved

Date

Time

Location

AFTER YOU REPORT

Once you submit a report, you will likely be contacted by the Title IX coordinator.
Depending on the nature of the situation, she will do her best to keep you in the
loop about next steps as appropriate (based on considerations of confidentiality).

DISCLOSURES IN THE CONTEXT OF ACADEMIC DISCUSSION/CONVERSATION

If a student discloses a situation through a written assignment or in the context
of a relevant classroom discussion, you do not have to report that information. However,
if you engage the student in a dialog about the incident they disclosed, the material
is no longer protected and your mandatory reporting obligations come into play. One
way to address this might be to send an email to the student that outlines your reporting
obligations if you speak about the incident, but also provides the referral to campus
resources if needed. For a sample email, contact Sara Dorer.

DISCLOSURES ABOUT THE PAST OR NON-HOPE AFFILIATED PEOPLE

Situations that happened in the student’s past (before coming to Hope) or in which
the perpetrator is not affiliated with Hope do not need to be reported to the Title
IX coordinator.

However, our responsibility to care for the student remains. Please verify the student
is aware of both on-campus and off-campus support options as needed. Referrals to
Counseling and Psychological Services and Campus Ministries are great starting places for students, regardless of if they have accessed services
off-campus (currently or in the past).

HOW TO RESPOND

First and foremost, trust the student and make no judgment about what is being shared.
Asking specific questions about the incident can be received as victim blaming and
we never want to re-traumatize a person. Your goal is to respond with care and concern
for their well-being. Often everyday activities can be challenging for victims, so
you can be helpful in verifying they are feeling safe, attending class, etc. The best
thing you can do is point them to the other resources on campus where there are trained
employees to help them through their situation.

Good questions to ask

Are you okay?

Do you feel safe?

How can I help you?

The types of questions to avoid

Why were you walking alone?

Were you drinking?

Did you say no or fight back?

Do you really need this accommodation?

Is it that big of a deal?

People who have experienced a traumatic situation do not always respond the way we
think they will (or the way we think they should) based on their circumstances. It
is important to not place judgment on their affect, their memories or their choices
at that time. Many people will also need several nights of sleep to truly start to
process what happened before they are prepared to talk about it. If you are interested
in learning more about this topic, this short video is a great resource.

SYLLABUS LANGUAGE

Many faculty members find it helpful to include a statement in their syllabus that
states up front that they are mandatory reporters. This can be a simple, short statement
or can be written to include more general information as well. A sample statement
is included here for your use as you see fit:

Hope College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment where each student
is able to learn, grow and prosper. One way in which we demonstrate this commitment
is through our various policies prohibiting all forms of discrimination, including
our Sexual Harassment and Assault Policy. For information about this policy, about
reporting concerns or about local resources, please see hope.edu/offices/
title-ix/policy-procedure.html.

I am available if you would like to speak to me about an incident of sexual harassment
or assault that occurred while you were a student at Hope. However, it is important
to note that all Hope College faculty members are mandatory reporters through Title
IX (the law that prohibits sex discrimination, which includes harassment, domestic
and dating violence, sexual assault and stalking). If you speak to me about a personal
experience, I have a responsibility to report my knowledge of the incident to the
Title IX coordinator, Sara Dorer (dorer@hope.edu or 395-6816).

For those that would like to include additional language regarding resources, here
is a sample paragraph:

Confidential resources on campus include Counseling and Psychological Services (616-395-7945),
Campus Chaplains (616-395-7966), Health Clinic Staff (616-395-7585), and Sara Duhr,
LLMSW, Support Coordinator/Confidential Advocate (616-395-7802; duhr@hope.edu). Off-Campus Confidential Resources include the Center for Women in Transition
(24-Hour Crisis Line: 616-392-1970; Information Line: 616-392-2829) or Holland Hospital. Alleged violations can be reported (non-confidentially) to the Title
IX Coordinator (noted above), to Campus Safety (395-7770) or to the Holland Police
Department (616-355-1100). There is an online reporting form, which can be submitted
anonymously if so desired, at hope.edu/reportdiscrimination.

For courses that require touch during instruction, including a statement about that in the syllabus is very benificial. Here is a sample
statement:

As part of the teaching methods in this class, it is common practice for the instructor
to make physical touch/adjustments and corrections with students in an effort to improve
performance, guide and instruct. It will be professional and appropriate to the need,
and if at any time you are uncomfortable with the instruction, you can ask the instructor
to direct you verbally instead. If this presents any concerns for you, please feel
free to discuss it with me in advance.

TRIGGER WARNINGS

Without debating the pros/cons of trigger warnings (or taking a stance for or against),
classes utilizing materials that include sexual violence should be evaluated to determine
if a warning would be of value. If you would like to include a warning, this can be
accomplished either in the syllabus at the start of the semester (to make students
aware it will be part of the course in general or on specific dates) or by announcement
in a class period prior to the material being presented.

If providing a warning, you will also need to think through what adjustments you might
be willing to make in this regard. You will need to use your professional judgment
and assess each request individually, conferring with other campus resources as needed
(your department head, your dean, the Title IX coordinator, CAPS, etc.). If the student
making the request discloses they are working through an investigation on campus currently,
please discuss the request with the Title IX coordinator.

A sample warning:

Please note that we will utilize materials in this course throughout the semester
that contain references to physical and sexual violence. If you have any concerns
about your ability to participate in regards to this content or need warnings in regards
to specific dates and/or pieces involved, please speak to me privately about your
concerns or needs.

BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION

There are several ways (big or small) in which you can get involved to be a part of
the solution, helping create a culture of inclusion on campus, one free of educational
barriers for students.

The little things

Include a statement in your syllabus

Put the “It's On Us” logo on your Moodle page

Speak up when you hear students or employees making inappropriate or disparaging jokes/comments
about women

Attend a campus event to learn more about the experiences of the LGBTQ student experience
on campus

The bigger things

Determine if there is a place in your course to embed any parts or pieces of these
conversations (which could include discussing heathy relationships, setting/respecting
boundaries, review of gender stereotypes, discussion of interconnectedness of alcohol/drug
use with sexual violence, etc.)

Host a speaker or educational program on campus and tell us about it so that we can encourage others to attend and track it as part of our overall prevention

Have students partner with campus staff to assess/evaluate these issues on campus
and/or design prevention efforts

Email Sara Dorer to note your interest in getting involved on a committee or as a policy advisor